Gavin Garners Bronze Medal In University World Games

DATE: 7/14/2008 9:27:00 AM
By Sophia Duck
Pittsburgh Sports Information

2008 NCAA Champion Keith Gavin earned the bronze medal at 163 pounds in
the 2008 World University Wrestling Championships held in Thessaloniki,
Greece, last week.

“We are very proud of Keith’s success as a bronze medalist in the 2008
University World Freestyle Wrestling Championships,” said Head Wrestling
Coach Rande Stottlemyer. “His success is a real testament to his rapid
development in the transition from collegiate to freestyle wrestling,
which is the dominant international style of wrestling we will be watching
in the summer Olympics.

“Keith’s dream is to represent the USA in the 2012 Olympics and this
achievement is a significant first step and certainly a confidence builder
for him as he pursues that dream.”

Gavin won two matches in the early rounds against Adamson of Canada (2-0,
0-7, 1-0) and Poland’s Marcinklewicz (2-0, 1-0). In the next round, Gavin
dropped a 0-1, 0-1 match to Matyle of Belarus, but ended the week with his
third-place victory over Kasapoglu of Turkey (0-1, 2-0, 1-0).

As the only undefeated DI wrestler at the completion of the 2007-08
season, Gavin earned a berth in the in the World University Games after he
won a title at 163 pounds in the USA Wrestling University Nationals in
Akron, Ohio.